Green Wave defeats Swamp Foxes to advance in the playoffs

Summerville earned a 21-7 victory in a rematch with Ashley Ridge to advance to the second round of the Division 1-AAAA playoffs.

The Green Wave (10-2) will host Boling Springs, a 48-41 winner over Gaffney, next week for the second round. For Ashley Ridge (4-8), the loss means the end of its season.

It was a tight game until late in the final quarter.

“I was nervous the whole 48 minutes,” Summerville coach John McKissick said. “I thought they out played us much of the night and we never did stop their running back. I’m thankful for the win but we need to play better next week.”

The first half was a pretty even contest but both teams drew a lot of penalties. Summerville and Ashley Ridge finished the half with roughly 125 yards gained but the Green Wave doubled the Swamp Foxes’ trips into the end zone. Running back Tyler Garland carried much of the load for Ashley Ridge while the Green Wave relied heavily on running backs Chris Felder and Jacerie Ponder.

Felder and Ashley Ridge’s Sean White traded touchdown runs from inside the 10-yard line and then Johnston McCurry made a diving catch into the end zone to complete a 37-yard scoring play that gave Summerville a one-score lead entering half time.

The third quarter was a defensive battle as Summerville only managed to gain 10 yards and Ashley Ridge only gained 19.

Both teams moved the ball some in the final 12 minutes, but Summerville made some big defensive stands.

Following an interception by Swamp Fox defensive back Kendall Felder, Ashley Ridge drove to the Green Wave 13 and had four shots at the end zone with just more than 4 minutes remaining. But the drive ended with a fourth-down sack by linebacker Mac McCurry.

On Summerville’s ensuing possession, Chris Felder broke a tackle and rushed 82 yards to set up his own 3-yard TD run with 1:48 remaining.

“We’ve had opportunities all year but in some games we haven’t been able to make plays when we need to and that is what happened tonight,” Ashley Ridge coach Kenny Walker said. “Penalties hurt us and other things so we were scrambling a bit at the end but basically Summerville made the plays and we didn’t.”

Felder led all rushers in the game with approximately 150 rushing yards and the two TDs on 16 carries. Garland carried 23 times for approximately 120 yards.

While Summerville quarterback Sawyer Bridges only completed one pass in the first half, he completed 3 of 6 pass attempts in the second half to finish with approximately 90 passing yards. Johnston McCurry and tight end Sean Smith both had two receptions.

Summerville made a dozen tackles in the backfield, including three sacks. Leaders on the defensive side of the ball included Kawuan Cox, Matt Powell and Mac McCurry. Powell also recovered a fumble on a kickoff when a kick came of the kicker’s foot bizarrely and skipped into an Ashley Ridge blocker.

Ashley Ridge 0 7 0 0–7

Summerville 7 7 0 7–21

S – Chris Felder 7 run (David Kennedy kick)

A – Sean White 6 run (Matt Gable kick)

S – Johnston McCurry 37 pass from Sawyer Bridges (Kennedy kick)

S – Felder 3 run (Kennedy kick)

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